


When We're "Grown Up"

by Aeon_Wolf



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: F/F, imagine your otp prompt, oneshot turned multichapter, pinkie promises is now our thing, try to convince me otherwise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-13
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2019-08-23 07:23:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16614473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aeon_Wolf/pseuds/Aeon_Wolf
Summary: Imagine your OTP ...As little kids, and Person 1 makes a promise to Person 2 saying they will take them on a date when they “grow up.” Person 1 moves away, however, but Person 2 never forgot. One day when they are both “grown-up”, someone approaches Person 2 with a bouquet of roses, and Person 2 doesn’t recognize them at first.It’s Person 1, they kept their promise.orWhere Sara remembered and Ava forgot.





	1. Chapter 1

I.

“Avaaaaa,” Sara complained as she chased after the slightly older girl. The one named Ava just laughed, running around her front lawn as Sara sought to catch up to her. The younger girl pounced, wrapping her arms around Ava’s waist and pulling them both to the ground. “Got you!” An eight-year-old Sara Lance said gleefully. Ava, who was just a few months older than Sara laughed along with her best friend.

“Fine.” She said dramatically, falling back on the grass of her yard. Sara rolled off of Ava, laying in the grass next to her, staring up at the clouds.

“Do you think it’ll be like this forever?” Sara asked. Ava flipped to her side to look at Sara questioningly.

“What do you mean?” She asked, propping her head on her hand, her elbow in the grass. Sara shrugged.

“I mean, us being friends. Going to the same school, getting a job at the same place, living together?” She clarified. Ava tilted her head to the side a little.

“Maybe. Do you want all those things?” Ava asked curiously. She and Sara had been best friends ever since Ava had moved across the street from Sara when they were five years old. They had been thick as thieves ever since they met. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. When Ava was new to Star City Elementary, Sara had run around with some girls that had been mean to Ava because she was new and didn’t have any friends of her own. Sara had started to engage in the same behavior but learned quickly that Ava was shy and insecure in a new place. So instead, she befriended Ava and defended her from her former friends.

“I think so? Promise me one thing though?” Sara asked, a little insecurity in her voice which Ava was taken aback by. Her normally very outgoing and confident friend was rarely ever nervous about anything.

“Anything.” Ava said without question, wanting to soothe her best friend’s nerves.

“Promise me you’ll let me take you out on a date when we grow up?” Sara asked, wincing even as the words came out of her mouth. Ava raised her eyebrows. Out of everything Sara could have said, she hadn’t expected that. She had never really looked at Sara in that way, but to be honest, Ava had never really looked at anyone in that way in general. Eight was a little young to start dating in her, and her parent’s, opinion.

“When we grow up?” Ava asked. Sara nodded, biting her lip a little, looking up at Ava hovering over her.

“Yeah, like when we’re in high school or whatever.” Sara said with a shrug, her nerves calming down a little as Ava hadn’t outright laughed in her face. She had long known she was interested in both women and men and, as much as she didn’t want to make their friendship weird, she felt like she owed it to her friend to tell her this much. “I understand if you say no, it’s weird. I get it. Going on a date with your best friend.” Sara rambled, her nerves spiking again as Ava said nothing further, just staring absentmindedly. Sara laughed nervously. “It was stupid. I shouldn’t have asked…” Sara tried to backtrack, playing it off as a joke.

“Okay.” Ava said suddenly, silencing Sara immediately.

“Okay?” Sara asked, more than a little surprised, but Ava nodded.

“Yeah. When we grow up.” Ava said, smiling down at her friend. Sara’s heart leaped, her friend hadn’t just flat out rejected her! So Sara stuck out her pinkie.

“Pinkie promise?” Sara asked shyly. Ava laughed, taking Sara’s pinkie with her free one.

“Pinkie promise.” She said, shaking on it.

II.

As fate would have it, when they were “grown up,” was a lot longer than Sara or Ava had in mind. When Ava was fifteen, her family moved from Star City to Langley, Virginia. Her father had taken a rather prestigious job at the CIA which required him to work at their headquarters. The two girls had been heartbroken but in the end, Ava went along with her family with the promise to keep in contact with Sara. Even at a distance, both girls wanted to keep their friendship.

However, over the next couple of years, school and life got increasingly hectic for both of them, causing both of them to fall out of contact and over time, they rarely even sent each other an email. They each recieved a birthday card from the other, but life had a way of interfering with friendships.

Sara, for her part, went on with her life. Not as planned when she was eight years old, but she had a good high school experience. She had dated both Oliver Queen and Nyssa Raatko, though neither of them lasted more than a couple of years. In the back of her mind, she couldn’t shake her promise to Ava in their childhood.

Once she graduated from high school, Sara tried out college but found it wasn’t for her. So instead, she dropped it after a single semester at Star City University and started teaching martial arts classes in Krav Maga and Taekwondo at a local, but elite training center in Star City. She had picked up the hobby in high school and had quickly fallen in love with it. She was one of the youngest instructors at the training center, but no less respected than seasoned masters. It wasn’t until she was twenty-five years old that she had the chance to fulfill her promise.

III.

The training center Sara taught at was no stranger to different groups, including government agencies, contract them out to supplement their field agents in various martial arts. So when Sara was booked to teach a Krav Maga class to a bunch of FBI agents, she walked into work like it was just another day. She pulled off her sweatshirt, hanging it in the backroom, picking up her water bottle and heading out onto the main floor to wait for the FBI agents to trickle in.

She sat on the mat, beginning to stretch. She wasn’t a few minutes into it when she heard the bell on the door ring. She looked up and her jaw dropped. She hadn’t physically seen her in a decade, but she wouldn’t mistake that face anywhere, even ten years later.

Ava.

A decade later had been good to Ava. Sara always thought that her friend was good looking, but she matured nicely. She stood a few inches taller than Sara, but the slightly younger woman noticed that Ava held a rather stiff and tense posture. Something that was a new development from the childhood years. Ava seemed to notice Sara, nodding stiffly at her, no hint of recognition. Sara nodded back, getting up from her place on the floor. “Hi, you’re here for the FBI training?” Sara asked, not letting on that she recognized Ava. It was awkward enough as it was.

“Yes. The rest of the agents should be here shortly.” Ava said, a little formally. Sara nodded.

“What kind of training do you guys already have? So I know where to start.” Sara asked, curious about how proficient at fighting Ava was.

“Standard FBI training and an additional course in Taekwondo.” She replied curtly. Sara tilted her head to the side, tempted to ask Ava to spar with her. But before she could ask, the rest of the FBI agents poured into the center, all a lot more informal than Ava was being.

Sara’s multiple questions would have to wait.

IV.

Sara kept her class professional. Master Krav Maga classes were hard enough without having a distraction as big as Ava, who even at the mention of her last name, seemed to not recognize her former friend. That did sadden Sara a little, but she tried to not let it get to her. During her lunch break, she had one of her co-workers watch the center while she went down the street to grab some food. On her way back, she noticed a street cart selling flowers and on impulse bought a small batch of roses. Maybe she could gather enough courage to approach her after the class.

The afternoon session went by, Sara teaching and correct the FBI agent’s form and technique. It wasn’t until late afternoon that she called it a day. It was to be a three-day workshop and Sara didn’t want to overload them. However, she did ask a certain blonde FBI agent to hang back a minute.

“Agent Sharpe, can I see you for a second?” Sara asked. The agent looked up from the chair she was sitting in, nodding. Sara motioned for her to come into the backroom of the training center. Ava followed.

“What’s this about, Master Lance?” Ava asked. Sara took a breath, grabbing the roses from her spot in the breakroom, next to her jacket and keys.

“I was wondering if you’d go out on a date with me?” Sara asked. Ava frowned.

“I think that breaks at least three Bureau protocols…” She trailed off as Sara interrupted her.

“Look, Ava. I get if you don’t recognize me. A few piercings, a slight dye job and ten years can do that but you made me a pinky promise!” Sara interjected. Ava raised an eyebrow, glancing at the flowers, then back to Sara’s face. Suddenly, a look of recognition, the realization dawning on her.

“Sara?” Ava asked incredulously. Sara gave her a small smile, nodding.

“I was afraid you’d forgotten all about me.” She said sheepishly. Ava broke into a grin, taking the flowers from Sara, setting them on the counter and hugging her friend tightly.

“Okay, maybe I’m a bit slow on the uptake, but I knew there was something familiar about you.” Ava said as Sara happily wrapped her arms around her once best friend.

“So is that a yes?” Sara said with a laugh. Ava pulled back, nodding.

“I did pinkie promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Young Ava and Sara are so cute! Anyways, I had a plan for this before 4x04, but after it, it just got 100% better. I know it's short, but don't tell me you don't love it. Scream about it with me on Tumblr @ aeon-wolf. Thanks. Bye.


	2. Chapter 2

I.

So, how has life been treating you?” Ava asked, stabbing at her salad. She and Sara had agreed to go out for dinner after their training session the following day. Sara shrugged. 

“It's been okay. I’ve been with the training center for six years. Started out as a teaching assistant in Krav Maga and Taekwondo but eventually got bumped up to instructor and then master instructor. I still do Krav Maga and Taekwondo, but I also do a few other forms.” She replied, sipping her glass of wine. Ava nodded. “You?” 

“After I moved to Langley and dad was with the CIA, it was impressed upon me the importance of being a star student at the private school he sent me to. There were a lot of other kids of CIA agents there so he wanted something to brag about to the other agents.” Ava said, a little coldly. Sara frowned. 

“Really?” She asked incredulously. Ava just nodded. 

“And when I graduated from high school, I had a couple of years of college under my belt as well from the head start program. So it was only another two years to get my four-year degree in criminal justice. Worked with the Secret Service for three years before transferring to the FBI.” Ava rattled off her work history. Sara raised an eyebrow. 

“Impressive. Never would have thought you’d get into law enforcement when we were kids. You were always the one who wanted to play pirates.” Sara teased. Ava blushed a little. 

“Well, I could say the same for you. A teacher?” Ava deflected. Sara just laughed. 

“I guess, but I’m teaching what I love. It’s better than being stuck in a classroom with hormonal kids, forcing knowledge they don’t care about into their brains. People who enroll in classes do it because they want to be here. Or because their parents force them, but that’s another matter.” Sara replied. “I try to make my classes fun for the kids. They all come around eventually.” Ava chuckled. The two fell into a comfortable silence for a few moments, just glancing at each other over their glasses of wine. 

“What happened to us, Sara?” Ava asked. “We used to be best friends, yet we haven’t really talked in nearly ten years. I mean, I didn’t even recognize you.” She said, a little embarrassed. Sara shrugged. 

I guess that’s what distance does to a friendship. Or can do I suppose. What matters is that we found each other. If that’s not an indicator that our paths were supposed to cross again…” She trailed off. Ava smiled at her normally assertive friend’s shy tone. 

“Yeah.”

II.

The next time the two reunited outside the training center, it was their pinkie promised date. The FBI agents had the weekend to themselves to spend in Star City as they wanted and Sara managed to get a colleague to cover her day classes for the Saturday. And since Sara knew Star City better than Ava did at this point in their lives, Sara elected to take her to the Starling City Aquarium, recalling that Ava always had enjoyed animal life, specifically marine life. 

“I don’t remember this being here,” Ava said when Sara pulled up in front of the aquarium, scratching her head a little as she got out of Sara’s car. Sara looked up at the sign. 

“They built it a few years ago after you moved. So it’s new.” She said with a shrug. Ava looked at the building then back at Sara nodding. 

“That would explain it.” She said. “I’m kind of surprised you remembered I liked fish,” Ava said. 

“I just remember it annoyed the hell out of me whenever we would go look at animals at the pet store together. I always wanted to look at the hamsters and you would always drag me over to the fish.” She recalled. Ava laughed, walking by Sara’s side as the two headed into the building, which already had a somewhat sizeable line to the ticket counter. 

“You didn’t seem at mind at the time.” She reminded her friend. Sara shrugged. 

“They made you happy.” She admitted. Ava raised an eyebrow at the admission, but didn’t comment. Internally, she felt elated at the statement. The two chatted about their childhood together a bit more before they reached the front of the time. Sara bought both tickets, after some protest from Ava. But she bargained to let Ava pay for their next date day so the FBI agent dropped it without any further fuss. 

The two wandered into the first area which was full of different types of fish. “That one looks like Dory.” Sara pointed out. Ava rolled her eyes, but was clearly amused. 

“That’s a royal blue tang, Sara.” She said. Sara just shrugged. 

“Of course you’d know the actual name. Do you know the scientific name too?” She joked, but Ava responded. 

“Paracanthurus hepatus.” Sara groaned. 

“Why am I not surprised.” She half complained, but Ava just chuckled, grabbing Sara’s hand and dragging her over to another tank. The two flitted from tank to tank, exhibit to exhibit. Sara quizzed Ava on her marine life knowledge, and while Ava didn’t have all the answers, she had quite a few. 

And all the while, the two never let go of the other’s hand. 

III. 

The rest of their day together went off without a hitch. In fact, Sara had been planning the day in her head for a number of years. Ever since they were kids in fact. The very idea that she was able to actually fulfill her plans of taking her friend on a date, it was like a dream. One that Sara very much hoped she would not wake up from. 

After their trip to the aquarium which lasted most of the morning and into the early afternoon, Sara took her date to Russo’s for lunch, a rather upscale Italian restaurant that Oliver had taken her to a few times while the two had dated in high school. 

“Classy place,” Ava commented as Sara gave her name to the person at the podium who motioned for a waiter to have them seated. 

“Yeah, I’ve been here a few times. The food is good, something for everything.” She said. The waiter showed them to a table in a more secluded part of the restaurant. Sara pulled Ava’s chair for her as the waiter set menus down on the table. 

“I’ll be back in a moment to take your order. Can I get you ladies anything to drink?” 

“Water for me,” Sara said, knowing that she needed to teach an intermediate Krav Maga class in the later afternoon and didn’t want to have alcohol in the system. 

“The same for now,” Ava added. The waiter nodded, leaving them to decide on their meal. “I had a good time this morning.” She said. Sara grinned. 

“I’m glad. I’ve been planning it for… a while and I’d be devastated if you didn’t.” She teased. Ava laughed. 

“You didn’t even know I was in town until a couple days ago.” She pointed out. Sara shrugged. 

“Yeah but you pinkie promised me when we were kids. I’ve had a long time to think about it.” She admitted. Ava paused. 

“You’ve thought about it all this time?” She asked curiously and Sara nodded. 

“I was serious about it back then, you know.” She tried to brush it off a joke, but Ava wasn’t fooled. She just raised an eyebrow. Sara sighed. Even years later, Ava had the ability to make Sara tell the truth with just a look. “Fine. I had the biggest crush on you when we were kids, I just didn’t want to make it really weird. Then you moved away and I tried to move on. But…” She trailed off, blushing a little bit at the admission. “And I’ve made this awkward.” She laughed a bit but Ava shook her head. 

“No, it’s okay, Sara. It’s cute.” She said honestly. Sara huffed. 

“Not exactly what I was going for, but I’ll take it.” 

IV.

Ultimately, reality had to hit the two eventually. Ava had to return to Quantico when her training at the training center was complete. “Don’t let this be the last time we talk for another ten years,” Ava said, her duffle bag packed and ready to go when Sara dropped her off at the airport. Sara nodded. 

“Well, now I’ve got your current cell number, you won’t be able to get rid of me.” Sara teased. Ava rolled her eyes playfully. 

“I’ll see you around, Master Lance.” She said, bowing to her friend jokingly. Sara laughed, returning it. The two stood straight up and looked each other in the eyes. The held the other’s gaze for a few moments before they heard a yell. 

“Hey, Sharpe! Look alive.” Both women turned to see one of Ava’s fellow agents beckoning to her to wait in the TSA line with them. Ava looked back at Sara apologetically. 

“I guess this is goodbye for now.” She said. Sara nodded, taking a break. She gathered her courage, leaning in and placing a kiss on Ava’s right cheek. 

“What was that for?” Ava asked, though she felt her neck heating up a little, a blush spreading across the back of her neck under her shirt collar. Sara shrugged. 

“A promise. Text me when you land?” She asked. Ava nodded slowly before wandering over to her colleagues. Sara watched her join the other FBI agents. Some were slapping her on the shoulder, clearly having seen her interactions with Sara. Ava, for her part, just looked at the sternly. Sara chuckled, watching them move through the line. She wasn’t about to let Ava slip through her fingers again and was already planning out a trip to Quantico. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah I dunno. It's a thing. That I did. Because canon was making me sad.


	3. Chapter 3

I.

Sara threw her bag over her shoulder, walking down the narrow aisle of the plane. She took a breath, checking her phone again to see a text from Ava. 

_ I’m waiting for you just outside your gate _ . 

Sara smiled to herself, a little extra energy flowing through her body. After a 5 and a half hour flight, she was ready to stretch her legs. And see Ava again for the first time in a few months. 

After Ava returned to Quantico, she and Sara did keep in touch. Much better than they had throughout their teenage years. Perhaps it was because they both had their lives a little bit more together than they had when they were fifteen. The two texted at least a little each day, even if it was as simple as good morning and good night. Sara usually woke up to a good morning text from Ava as there was a three hour time difference between Star City and Quantico, as well as the fact that Ava was a very early riser, whereas Sara was not. Unless she had an early class to teach, which wasn’t very often. 

Sara walked out into the airport, following the signs to where she thought Ava would be. The two had been planning for Sara to visit for a few weeks. Ava had promised to take a bit of time off work to show her around Washington DC, as well as some other less known sights in the area. Sara was more excited to spend time with Ava than see the sights, but if she got to do both, she wouldn’t complain. 

As soon as Sara walked into the main part of the airport, passed the TSA lines, she spotted a familiar blonde waving her arms to get her attention. Sara grinned, walking over to Ava. 

“Hey stranger,” Sara said with a grin. Ava smiled back, wrapping her arms awkwardly around Sara who had her large carry-on backpack slung over her shoulder. Sara rest her chin on her friend’s shoulder as they hugged for a little longer than would be considered friendly. But neither woman particularly cared. 

“I missed you,” Sara said quietly, but Ava still heard her due to their proximity. 

“I missed you too.” She said, unwrapping her arms from around Sara, stepping back out of her closer personal space. “Ready to go?” Ava asked. Sara nodded, having managed to pack for her two week trip to Quantico in a single carry on and laptop bag.

“Yep. Ready when you are.” She replied. Ava nodded, beckoning for her friend to follow her back to her car. 

“So what have you been up to for the last few months?” Ava asked, wanting to get a few more details than the text conversations and a handful of phone calls they had. Sara shrugged. 

“Same old. Teaching classes. Prepping for this trip. Hung out with friends. The usual.” She said as the two left the airport, walking out to the short term parking garage. “You?”

“Working on new cases. Can’t really talk about the details.” Ava said apologetically but Sara waved her off. 

“FBI confidentiality and all that, I get it.” She replied casually. “Do you do anything outside of work?” She asked curiously. Ava shook her head. 

“Work kind of takes up most of my time and to be honest, I don’t have a lot in the way of friends out here.” She said awkwardly. Sara just raised an eyebrow. 

“You seemed pretty friendly with those agents you came to Star City with,” Sara commented. Ava just shrugged. 

“I try not to get too close with my co-workers.” She replied with no further explanation. Sara frowned but didn’t question. That was a somewhat foreign concept to her. All the instructors at the training center she worked in were pretty close. She went out for drinks with them every so often and would consider them all friends. But it was pretty clear that she and Ava led very different lives. 

“Fair enough,” Sara said instead as Ava pulled out her car keys, unlocking her car and popping the trunk for Sara to put her stuff in. The shorter blonde set her laptop bag in the trunk, followed by her large backpack. Ava shut the trunk, walking over to the driver’s side as Sara slid into the passenger's seat. 

“I need to stop at the store to grab a few things, that’s okay?” Ava said as she pulled out of her parking spot. Sara nodded. 

“Yeah, I probably should get a few things I didn’t pack. TSA can be a bitch sometimes.” She said offhandedly. Ava pulled her aviator sunglasses over her eyes as she pulled out of the garage. 

“Sometimes, but it's for a good reason.” She defended. 

“I guess,” Sara said carefully, looking out the window as they drove. “You working any the next couple of weeks?” She asked instead. She knew that Ava had said she had taken some time off while Sara was in town, but she figured she just double check in case there were days where she would need to entertain herself. 

“No, I took the next two weeks off. Unless it’s an emergency, which I’m not high enough in the agency to need to be ‘on-call’ as it were.” Ava replied, glancing at Sara before concentrating on merging on the freeway back to her apartment, planning on stopping at the store on the way. 

“So you’re stuck with me for two weeks?” Sara teased. Ava chuckled. 

“I can live with that, I think.” She replied. “I’ve been planning our second date you promised me.” She said. Sara raised an eyebrow but was feeling warm inside at the thought of their second date. They really hadn’t addressed their relationship status since Ava had to return to Quantico. Both women didn’t particularly care for the idea of a long distance relationship such as theirs where there was a nearly six-hour flight between them, but at the same time, they both had to admit they had feelings for each other. Even after all this time. Sara hoped that they would be able to talk about it and work out some sort of solution by the end of their two weeks together. 

II.

Ava pulled into the parking lot of her local supermarket, getting out of the car, Sara also sliding out herself. “You don’t have food allergies, right?” Ava asked and Sara shook her head. 

“Nope, thank god.” She replied. “I’m free to eat anything I want.” She joked. Ava chuckled, nodding. 

“Good. I didn’t think you had problems, because I remember you were basically a human trash can when we were kids.” Ava recalled. Sara shouldered her friend playfully. 

“I like food. When you work out as much as I do, you need the calories. Can’t keep abs like these easily.” Sara joked, patting her stomach. Ava just laughed as the two walked into the store. 

“You said you needed to get some stuff?” Ava asked as she grabbed a small cart. Sara nodded. 

“You know the 3-1-1 TSA rule. So I didn’t bother packing much in the way to toiletries. Figured I’d just get some stuff while I’m here and you can have the leftover.” Sara said with a shrug. 

“Alright, that stuff is over here,” Ava said, wandering over to the part of the store where the toothpaste, shampoo, and other hygiene products were. Sara followed her friend, not familiar with the layout of the store. The two walked down the aisle together, Sara grabbing some stuff like her favorite body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. She also put some toothpaste and shaving cream in her own basket. 

“You’re also welcome to any of my stuff,” Ava said as Sara picked out her products. “I don’t really have a ton of fancy options, but if you forget anything…” Ava trailed off awkwardly. Sara gave her a reassuring smile. 

“Thanks.” She said genuinely. “But I think I’ve got everything.” She said, looking down at her basket, going through her mental list of things she didn’t bring along with her. Ava nodded, walking to a different part of the store, Sara close on her heels. 

“Any preferences on food?” Ava asked, getting a few bags of various fruits and vegetables into her small cart. Sara shrugged, shaking her head. 

“I’m not too picky. As long as it’s edible. But I remember you being a pretty good cook when we were kids.” Sara recalled. 

“I was passable.” Ava groaned. “I’m much better now.” She said confidently. Sara gave her a look. 

“Well, I’m looking forward to it.” She teased. Ava blushed a little, getting a few more food items before heading for check out. 

III. 

Back in the car with their purchases in the trunk, Ava drove the pair back to her apartment. She pulled into her spot in the parking garage, popping the trunk before both women got out. Sara went to the trunk, throwing her backpack over her shoulder, followed by her laptop bag. She then grabbed her own bag of stuff she had gotten at the store, having a free hand to get a couple of bags for Ava. 

“Don’t fall over.” Ava joked as she grabbed the remaining bags, shutting the trunk and locking her car. 

“I’m tougher than I look.” Sara teased back. Ava eyed her friend appreciatively. 

“I know. You beat my ass a few times when we were in training.” She said, recalling the first day where Sara had singled out Ava to spar with her before Ava had recognized her. Ava was a good hand to hand fighter, but Sara was clearly more skilled than she was. And thus had knocked Ava on her ass a couple of times. Ava remembered regarding Sara with respect at that moment. 

“Yeah, but you came out of the workshop with a reasonable knowledge of Krav Maga, didn’t you?” Sara said as she followed Ava to the stairs, walking up a couple of flights after her friend, getting a pretty good view of her friend’s tight jeans. 

“I did, I never said it wasn’t valuable.” She responded, reaching her floor, walking down a somewhat narrow walkway, her apartment a few doors down from where the stairs stopped on the third floor. She fumbled with her keys a bit, sticking the key into the door, unlocking it and pushing it open. She walked in, Sara following her. “Well, here’s my humble apartment.” She said over her shoulder, walking down her entry hallway to her living area. “Feel free to set my stuff down over here.” She said as she beelined for her kitchen, setting her own bags on the table. 

Sara took a minute to look around. Ava had a few pictures along the wall, mainly of her parents whom Sara recognized. There were a few other photos like Ava’s graduation from what looked like college, her acceptance into the FBI, a couple of her time with the Secret Service, but none of any sort of social or personal life. It was all distant pictures of family or work. Sara wandered into the living area after lingering for a few minutes, setting Ava’s stuff on the table. 

“Here, let me show you my guest room,” Ava said, beckoning Sara to follow her. The two walked down another short hallway. “This is the bathroom,” Ava said, gesturing to the first door on the left. “Only have one, so we’ll have to share.” Sara nodded in understanding. “This is my study,” Ava said, pointing to the first door on the right. “It’s mostly full of work files and stuff, so can’t really show you around much.” She said apologetically. “And this is the guest room.” She said, opening the second door on the right. It was a reasonably sized room, a queen-sized bed, a few pieces of furniture such as a dresser and nightstand, along with a small wall mounted television facing the bed, and small desk in the corner. “My room is at the end,” Ava said, fidgeting a little bit as Sara took in her living space for the next two weeks. “Well, I’ll let you get settled. I’m going to start on dinner.” She said quietly. Sara smiled, nodding. 

“Okay, I’ll help you after I set my stuff down if you want.” She offered, but Ava shook her head. 

“No, don’t worry about it. You get settled, you had a long flight. I can handle it.” She reassured Sara. The shorter blonde looked a little doubtful. “I’m serious. You can help next time.” Ava said. Sara sighed but relented with a nod. 

“Fine, but I’ll come out in a bit and keep you company at least.” Sara insisted. 

“Okay,” Ava said with a chuckle, leaving Sara to unpack. As Ava left, Sara watched her turn the corner to head back out to her kitchen. Sara sighed, sinking onto the bed, flopping onto her back for a moment.

Sara had a single goal in mind. She was going to kiss Ava properly at least once before she went back to Star City. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is another one of those "I write it when I feel like and have literally no direction" stories. Don't really have a plan for what this will end up being, but I thought it was a nice piece of fluff and fun concept to continue when I don't feel like working on one of my on-going stories. 
> 
> So I hope ya'll enjoy it.


	4. Chapter 4

I.

Sara unpacked her stuff, hanging up the few pieces of clothing she had brought that needed to actually be hung up. The rest she sorted into the dresser, filed away neatly. She also took her laptop out of her laptop bag, setting it on the desk, also pulling out the charging cable and finding a power strip on the floor, plugging it in to charge up. 

A rather appetizing smell waft into the room from the kitchen. Sara’s stomach growled a bit and the blonde decided she could finish unpacking the rest later and went to go find Ava. Her friend was tending to the stovetop, some garlic in a sizable skillet. Ava’s tablet was open to a recipe and propped up on a stand on the counter, out of the way of any possible splatter. Classical music was playing from a Bluetooth speaker on the kitchen table. “Hey, smells good,” Sara said, sitting on a stool on the other side of the counter. Ava looked over her shoulder, smiling. 

“It’s just a bit of garlic.” She replied, looking back at the recipe. Sara just shrugged. 

“It’s better than anything I can manage.” She said. Sara could do some basic things, but she ordered takeout and had other frozen food items most of the time. 

“Well, maybe you’ll learn a thing or two while you’re here,” Ava said, scooping up some chopped vegetables and dumping some of the piles into the skillet. “Get settled in?” Ava asked. 

“Yeah, mostly,” Sara admitted. “Still have a few things to unpack, but I can do that later. I’d much rather spend time keeping you company.” She teased. Ava smiled genuinely, a slight heat creeping up her neck. 

“I appreciate it.” She said honestly. “Cooking is a good stress reliever, but it’s kind of empty when you don’t have anyone to cook for.” She admitted. 

“You don’t have friends over?” Sara asked curiously. There wasn’t a hint of any possible social life Ava might have had in her apartment as far as Sara could tell. Ava shook her head, dropping a few more piles of vegetables into the skillet. 

“Being an FBI agent doesn’t really lend to having a ton of close relationships,” Ava said, a hint of sadness in her voice. 

“Well, I’m not going to take that for an excuse!” Sara exclaimed. “You’re stuck with me.” She half-joked. Ava chuckled, shaking her head but smiling nonetheless. 

“You always were persistent.” She said. Sara just shrugged.

“Guilty as charged.” 

“So, do you have anything you want to do while you’re here?” Ava asked, pointedly changing the subject away from her own personal life. Sara saw what she was doing, but went along with it for the time being. 

“You’re the expert on what’s around here.” Sara shrugged. “I figured I’d let you show me the sights you think are worth visiting.” Ava raised an eyebrow as she reached onto the counter, grabbing a bowl that had strips of already cooked chicken and throwing it into the skillet with the vegetables, also adding a few spices that Sara didn’t recognize. 

“Well, DC is a little less than an hour here. It’s worth checking out at least once on your life.” Ava said. “There are some historical sites around here.” She continued. “If you’re interested, one of the martial arts instructors at the FBI training academy said she’d like to meet you.” She said offhandedly. 

“Really?” Sara asked. Ava nodded, turning her full attention back to the almost finished meal. 

“Yeah, all of the agents were impressed with your skills when we were there and spoke highly of you.” 

“Including yourself?” Sara asked, a smirk on her face. Ava sighed but nodded. 

“Yes, including myself.” She admitted, turning off the stove and transferring the food in the skillet to a large serving plate. 

“Well, I’ll have to take you up on that one,” Sara said, hopping off the stool, walking around the counter into the kitchen area. “Can I help with anything?” She asked as Ava put the skillet back on the stove. 

“The plates are up there,” Ava said, pointing to one of the overhead cabinets. “Glasses are in the next one over. Utensils are here.” Ava said, pointing to the respective drawers and cabinets. “You’re welcome to anything in the fridge.” She said as washed her hands in the kitchen sink. Sara opened the cabinet, grabbing two plates and setting them on the counter, followed by two drinking glasses. Sara elected to just get a glass of water, filling it from the fridge door. 

Ava opened a drawer, getting a large serving spoon, putting into the serving dish. “Help yourself. Hope you like it.” Ava said, a little awkwardly. She was confident about her cooking skills, but she really wanted to make a good impression on her friend. 

“I’m sure it’s great,” Sara said, serving herself a generous amount, sitting down at the kitchen table, Ava serving herself and sitting across from her. 

“Well, I’m glad you’re here Sara. Really.” Ava said, taking a drink from her glass of water. Sara smiled. 

“So am I.” She replied, taking a bite of the food in front of her. She groaned. “This is so good Ava.” She said as she swallowed. “When the hell did you get this good?” Sara asked. Ava blushed. 

“As I said, cooking is a good stress reliever. And believe it or not, I’m frequently stressed.” She joked, taking a bite of her own. 

“Well, it’s paid off,” Sara said, eagerly eating the food in front of her. 

“I’m glad you like it,” Ava replied honestly. Sara nodded and the two fell into a comfortable silence as they ate. Every so often, Sara would look up at Ava, her companion seeming rather interested in her food. 

“Any plans for tomorrow?” Sara asked after a few moments. Ava shrugged. 

“If you don’t have anything, I figured just spend the day in. Saturdays are usually pretty busy at any place worth visiting. Movie marathon if you’re up for it?” Ava asked. Sara took a sip of her water before nodding. 

“That sounds great to me. I’ve been working overtime for the last month or two, it would be nice to just slow down a bit.” Sara admitted. 

“How come?” Ava asked curiously. 

“We’ve been a bit short staffed at the training center. So I’ve had to cover classes while we look for replacements.” Sara explained. “And I don’t mind, it’s nice to build up a bit of extra money before a trip.” She continued with a shrug. “Which I should say, thanks for letting me crash with you. It’s really saving me a lot.” Ava just waved her off. 

“It’s not a problem. I wasn’t about to let my best friend stay at a hotel whilst visiting me.” 

“Well still, it’s appreciated.” Sara smiled. 

II.

After the two had finished dinner, Sara did the majority of the cleanup, despite Ava’s protests. “You did all the cooking, it’s the least I can do.” Sara insisted. 

“But you’re a guest.” Ava protested but Sara wasn’t having any of it and kicked Ava out of her own kitchen, much to Ava’s annoyance. But she eventually just rolled her eyes and sat on the same stood Sara had occupied earlier and kept her friend company. 

“I’ll call in to the academy on Monday to arrange our visit if you’re still interested,” Ava said, resting her chin on her hands, elbows on the counter. Sara looked up from the pan she was cleaning. 

“Yeah sure,” Sara replied. Ava nodded. 

“I’m sure you and Nyssa will get along pretty well,” Ava said. Sara’s head snapped up at the mention of the name.

“Nyssa? Her name isn’t Nyssa Raatko by any chance?” Sara asked hesitantly. Nyssa had been the one to introduce her to martial arts back when they dated in high school. The two had lost touch after graduation. And Sara had a sinking feeling in the bottom of her stomach. 

“Yeah, you know her?” Ava asked curiously. Sara blinked, debating how to answer the question. She didn’t want to lie, but talking about an ex-girlfriend with her current crush was not her idea of fun. 

“Yeah, we went to high school together,” Sara said. Not a lie, but not exactly the entire truth either. Sara knew she wouldn’t be able to keep it to herself for long, but she wanted to live in ignorance for a few more days. 

“Oh, that’s convenient,” Ava said. Sara smiled a little guilty but decided to keep her former relationship with Nyssa to herself for the moment. 

“Yeah. She was actually the one who introduced me to martial arts and hand to hand combat, so it’ll be nice to catch up.” Sara dried off the pan, setting it on the drying rack. 

“Nyssa is certainly good at what she does,” Ava said, the respect evident in her voice. Sara nodded. She only hoped that Ava spoke about her like that to others. 

“Well, this is all finished,” Sara said, drying off her hands. 

“Thanks,” Ava said, getting off the stool. Sara glanced at the clock. It was approaching nine PM. 

“I’m going to hop in the shower and try to get a bit of sleep. I don’t really fancy dealing with the jetlag for the next two weeks.” Sara said apologetically. Ava just nodded. 

“Sure, no worries. It’s been a long day. A five-hour flight isn’t exactly relaxing. I understand. When I came back here from Star City it was deadassed for the next couple days.” Ava admitted with a chuckle. Sara nodded. 

“I’m sure. I didn’t exactly take it easy on you guys either.” Sara said, recalling the workshop she had taught. 

“No, you did not. But it was worth it. Both the training and connecting with you again.” Ava said, putting her hand on Sara’s right arm, rubbing it gently. Goosebumps erupted on Sara’s arm, the back of her neck growing warm. She looked up slightly, meeting Ava’s gaze. 

“I’m glad you thought so. Because I did too. 

III.

After retreating from their rather intimate moment in the kitchen, Sara grabbed her toiletries from her stuff and beelined to the bathroom. Ava had disappeared into her study, having mumbled something about needing to go over some files. Sara stripped down, turning on the shower to warm the water up a bit before grabbing her shampoo, conditioner, and body wash and stepping under the stream of hot water. 

She just stood under the water for a moment before working a glob of shampoo into her hair. Her first day in Quantico had been rather uneventful, but being in such close proximity to Ava made Sara feel happier than she had in a while. She loved her life back in Star City, but ever since Ava had moved away when they were teenagers, she had felt like she was missing something. And that thing was her best friend. And potential romance. She knew that Ava felt similarly to the way she felt towards Ava. But the pesky little thing called a six-hour flight stood between any potential relationship. 

But Sara was determined to try to make something work. She didn’t want Ava to slip through her fingers for the second time in her life. Sara finished her shower quickly, stepping out and drying herself with a towel Ava had set out for her. She changed into her pajamas, brushing her teeth and putting her toothbrush in the holder next to Ava’s. 

She deposited her stuff in the guest room before hesitantly knocking on the study door. “Come in,” Ava called and Sara opened the door slowly, sticking her head in. Ava’s study was just as neat as she had expected. There was a small window on the far wall, an L-shaped desk sitting under it, a desktop computer atop it. The walls were lined with floor to ceiling bookshelves and various sizes of filing cabinets. Ava was sitting at the spare leg of the desk, pouring over an open file, papers spread all over the empty space. “What’s up?” Ava asked, closing the file in front of her, the contents obviously not for Sara’s eyes. 

“Oh, I’m finished with the bathroom. It’s all yours.” She said. Ava nodded. 

“Thanks. Are you headed to bed?” She asked. Sara nodded. 

“I’ll probably journal a little bit, send a couple emails and hit the hay,” Sara said. 

“Alright. Do you want to get breakfast tomorrow? There’s a pretty good dinner not too far from here that I like going to.” Ava proposed. Sara grinned, nodding. 

“That sounds great.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After the Caity/Jes/Katrina stuff at Clexacon, I couldn't resist Ava and Nyssa meeting. 
> 
> I dunno how slowburn this will be, mostly because I dunno how long it'll be either. I've just been writing so much high fantasy/sci-fi AU stuff recently that it's a nice change of pace to get a bit more domestic.


	5. Chapter 5

I.

Sara awoke to the smell of coffee coming from the kitchen. She yawned, stretching lazily like a cat. She blinked a couple of times before sitting up in bed. She rolled her shoulders, her body feeling a little stiff. She glanced at her phone. 9:00 AM. Sara groaned. Her body was still registering it as 6:00 AM like it was back in Star City. She shook her head a little, attempting to smooth out her bed head a little bit to no avail. Sara forced herself to get out of bed, grabbing the first shirt she saw, pulling it over her head. She grabbed her toiletry from her suitcase before padding off to the bathroom. 

She could hear some news station playing coming from the kitchen, but Sara wanted to look halfway presentable before she joined her friend. She shut the door to the bathroom behind her, snorting at the reflection that looked back at her in the mirror. Her hair was a mess, there was a small line of dried saliva running down from her mouth. Sara shook her head a little before running her brush through her hair, taming the wild mane that her night of sleep had left. 

Once her hair had been dealt with, she made to brush her teeth and wash her face. She dried her face off with gentle pats from a towel near the sink before applying some basic makeup. When she was satisfied, she packed up her stuff and went back to the guest room. The blonde pulled a pair of jeans and a tank top from her suitcase, exchanging her pajamas for her chosen outfit. 

Finally ready for the day, she wandered out to the kitchen where Ava was sitting at the counter, a cup of coffee in front of her, the radio playing to some local news station and a newspaper in front of Ava. She looked up to see Sara, a smile gracing her face. “Morning.” Ava said, a little too brightly for Sara’s liking. 

“Hey.” Sara said, going over to the coffee pot, pouring a cup for herself, taking a sip almost immediately. 

“Sleep well?” Ava asked, her attention going back to the article she was reading. Sara nodded. 

“My body is still getting used to the fact it’s not actually 6:00 AM, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it in time for my flight home.” She joked. Ava chuckled. 

“I’m sure.” She said. “Want to go grab some breakfast now that you’re partially awake?” Ava asked. Sara nodded. 

“Sure, I could go for food right about now.” She said as her stomach growled a little. Ava try to hide a laugh but Sara caught it, just looking at her friend sheepishly. The FBI agent just chuckled, closing her newspaper and switching off the Bluetooth speaker, the apartment falling to silence again. “Let me go grab my phone.” Sara said, setting her half filled coffee cup on the counter. Ava nodded before searching for her keys and wallet. 

Sara hurried back to the guest room, grabbing her phone from the nightstand, fishing her wallet out of the drawer, stuffing both in her pockets before heading back out to find Ava waiting patiently by the door for her. She opened the door to the main walkway, gesturing for Sara to walk out first. “Ladies first.” She joked. Sara rolled her eyes but walked outside, waiting for Ava to lock up her apartment. The two wandered down the walkway to the nearest set of stairs. 

“So, what’s the name of this diner that we’re going to?” Sara asked curiously. 

“City Diner. It’s nothing fancy, but they have great food.” Ava replied as the two walked into the parking garage, headed for Ava’s car. 

Sara slid into the passenger’s seat as Ava situated herself on the driver’s side. “I missed this.” Ava said offhandedly. Ava had often come over for breakfast before school before Ava moved across the country. Sara nodded in agreement as Ava pulled out of her parking spot, out of the garage, and onto the main road. 

“Yeah, I always knew it would be a good day when you were the first friend I got to see.” Sara admitted. The two had known that Sara had been interested in Ava since they were young kids, but it still set butterflies off in her stomach. 

“Your mom made the best pancakes.” Ava said with a nod. “Sometimes I think spending so much time around your mom’s cooking made me want to learn as I got older.” Sara nodded, knowing that Ava’s parents weren’t around as much as Sara’s parents had been. Ava once confided in Sara when they were teenagers that her parents almost felt like strangers to her. 

“Well, it paid off.” Sara said, remembering how good the meal Ava had made the night before was. 

“Thanks. I’ve tried.” Ava said with a laugh. The two continued chatting about childhood memories like how Sara got stuck in a tree once and when Ava accidently kicked a teacher in their PE class. Before long, Ava pulled into the parking lot, finding a spot after a minute of searching. The place was fairly busy considering it was a Saturday at peak morning meal time. 

Both women got out of the car and headed inside. As expected, it was fairly busy and it would be a few minutes wait for a table. So Ava and Sara took a seat in the waiting area. Ava pulled out her phone and scrolled through her emails briefly. “Anything interesting?” Sara asked. Ava shrugged. 

“The usual. I’m trying to at least keep on top of my inbox so when I get back to the office, I won’t be swamped with checking emails.” Ava replied, pocketing her phone again. Sara nodded. 

“For sure. I get emails from students and parents all the time.”

“What about?” Ava asked. 

“Various things. Parents wondering how their kids are doing in my classes and if they can watch sometime. Adult students asking how I think they’re doing and what they could do to improve. A handful of men asking if I do private lessons. All rather standard.” Sara replied. Ava winced at the last part. 

“Seriously?” Ava asked, a little taken aback. Sara shrugged. 

“Not everyone is as straight laced as the FBI. Some people take our classes for leisure. I always shoot them down, of course. But I suppose I can understand it.” 

“That’s not professional though. You’re their instructor.” Ava insisted, though Sara detected a little bit of a jealous in her voice as well. 

“Not everyone is this world is professional. I’m sure there’s people at the FBI who brown nose the boss.” Sara said in response. Ava opened her mouth, but shut it again. 

“I suppose.” She said weakly, like she didn’t want to admit that even in her own agency, there were people who tried to schmooze instead of doing their fair share to get ahead. 

“Table for Ava?” The hostess called. Ava and Sara both got up, following the waitress to their table. Once seated, the hostess said their waiter would be right with them, handing them menus and leaving them to decide on what to order. 

“Any recommendations?” Sara asked looking at the menu. 

“Their omelets are really good, but if you’re in the mood for comfort, chicken and waffles is popular. And also made well here.” Ava said, her nose in her own menu. Sara nodded, looking back to the menu before a young boy, probably still a teenager came up to their table with a grin on his face. 

“Hi, I’m Kevin, I’ll be your waiter this morning. Can I get you started with something to drink? Juice, coffee?” He asked politely. 

“Coffee for me.” Ava replied glanced at their waiter. Sara nodded. 

“Make that two.” She said. He nodded. 

“Great, I’ll be right back with that.” He said. 

The two continued to look at their menus. “I think I’ll try the chicken and waffles. That’s not really a thing on the West Coast as much as here. It sounds interesting.” Sara said. Ava nodded. 

“Good choice.” She said. “I think I’ll go with an omelet, one of my favorites.” 

Before Sara had a chance to respond, Kevin returned with a pot of coffee. He filled the two mugs that were set on the table, putting a bowl of different individual creamers on the table. “Are you ladies ready to order?” He asked. Both nodded before relying their breakfast orders to Kevin. “Awesome, let me know if you need anything else.” He said before walking off to another table.

“I was thinking of taking a trip to DC on Tuesday, you in?” Ava asked. Sara nodded. 

“Yeah, never been to the nation’s capital.” 

“There’s some interesting things there to see if you’ve never been.” The agent replied. 

“What’s your favorite?” Sara asked curiously. Ava looked thoughtful, taking a sip of her coffee. 

“The Washington Monument feels like a special place.” Ava said. “I mean, there’s a lot of history, landmarks and museums to take a look at, but there’s just something about seeing the Washington Monument in person. It feels different than just seeing pictures.” 

Sara nodded. “Well, that will certainly be a stop to make.” She said, somewhat excited. History had never been her favorite thing in the world, but she was willing to keep an open mind. 

“I was thinking of a trip to the Pentagon as well sometime this week.” Ava said, mapping out her plans mentally. 

“That’s a place you can just visit?” Sara asked, thought as she said it, she figured why not. Ava nodded. 

“Yeah, it’s just like the White House or the Hill. There’s obviously classified places not open to the public, but we like it when people take tours of our facilities generally. It good to be interested in the government, even if people don’t always agree with it.” Ava said. 

“Sometimes I forget you’re a government employee.” Sara remarked as Ava talked about government facilities like her own home. Ava nodded. 

“It’s in my blood I think, after Dad took that job at the CIA. It was kind of ingrained in me to eventually join up with one of the intelligence agencies. The FBI just seemed like the best option.” 

“Did you ever want to do something else?” Sara questioned. Ava looked at her thoughtfully. 

“I mean, as I kid I had all sorts of dreams. Remember when we both said we’d become lawyers and open a firm together?” Ava recalled another memory from their childhood together. Sara nodded, remembering the sleepover they had talked about that at. “But beyond those kinds of dreams, not really. After we moved, Dad got a lot more pushy with it. I think when he was removed from headquarters in Star City, he was content to let me dream. But being around all the other agents, their kids getting into prestigious programs and colleges, he wanted a kid to brag about as well. And he let me know. A lot.” Ava said, a hint of bitterness in her voice. Sara frowned. 

“You know it’s your life, right? You don’t have to do everything that he wants. I don’t doubt you enjoy being an FBI agent, but you should do it because you want to, not because your dad pressured you.” Sara reassured her friend. Ava looked at Sara gratefully. 

“Yeah, I know. But I enjoy the work, you know? I got into it because of him, but it turns out that I like being a part of the FBI.” 

Sara nodded once. “Alright, but know that I’m here to support you. If you ever want to… you know, leave.” She said, a little awkwardly. 

“I appreciate that Sara, but really, it’s okay.” 

The two moved away from Ava’s career choice, back towards making plans for the next two weeks. Ava was going to see about getting Sara in to the academy at Quantico to meet up with Nyssa, maybe sit in on a training session. The mention of her ex-girlfriend filled Sara with a bit of anxiety. She knew she had to tell Ava about her past relationship with Nyssa at some point, especially if Sara wanted to go further with Ava, but the last couple of times Nyssa was brought up, she chickened out. 

She knew that there was nothing to be ashamed of. They had never dated. She didn’t owe it to Ava to have remained single for her entire life. But Sara still couldn’t shake the anxiety she felt. 

“Thursday maybe. I’ll have to clear it with my superiors, but I’m sure they’d make an exception. Your training center is highly regarded at Quantico. They’d probably jump at the chance to show off a little.” Ava joked causing Sara to laugh. 

“I think our reputation is a  _ little _ overblown, but I’m flattered.” Sara said, a chuckle on her voice. 

“Well I think you’re talented.” Ava said, eliciting a slight blush from Sara. Before too much longer, their food arrived and the two descended into food filled conversation talking about the past, and plans for the next two weeks. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, how about that season finale? And the fact Legends isn't going to be back until (probably) 2020. Not sure of their status in Infinite Earths, I've read they're supposed to be in it, but in what capacity and which characters, I'm not sure. 
> 
> Anyway, this is always a nice bit of fluff to come back to when I'm not feeling my other stories. And I'm glad you guys enjoy it. I'm sure it's riddled with errors since I don't use a beta reader, but I'm sure you can work out what I meant xD


End file.
